THE Parents and grandparents program (PGP) is expected to reopen this month, as Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is preparing to send invitations to potential sponsors.
The ministry confirmed via an announcement that starting May 21, 2024, it will send out 35,700 invitations with the hope of approving 20,500 complete applications.
Sponsor your parents and grandparents for Canadian immigration
Who is eligible for the next round of the PGP?
IRCC has declared its intention to invite candidates from the 2020 PGP class. This means that those invited in the next cycle will have submitted their profile in 2020. This will be the fourth consecutive year that the PGP will only consider profiles submitted in 2020.
Under the PGP system, applicants will be invited randomly (through a lottery system). These invitations will be sent to sponsors via the email provided on their interest to sponsor form. Sponsors are advised to check their emails starting May 21, with all invitations going out within approximately two weeks of this date.
What is the process for obtaining permanent residency through the PGP?
Receive permanent residence (PR) via the PGP, candidates must:
- Make sure they meet all relevant requirements eligibility criteria (including being eligible for sponsorship, residing in Canada, signing an undertaking and meeting the necessary minimum income levels, etc.);
- Complete an interest to sponsor form on the IRCC website. To be eligible for the 2024 round, candidates must not have received invitation to apply (ITA) in 2021, 2022 or 2023;
- (Once the PGP Lottery reopens), check the email provided on the Interest to Sponsor form for an invitation – on the day of reopening and for the following two week period after the Lottery restarts; And
- Once the ITA is received, sponsors must submit their application through the permanent residency portal or the representative residency portal (if using an authorized representative) by the deadline indicated in the application email. invitation.
About PGP
The PGP allows Canadian citizens or permanent residents (who meet the necessary eligibility criteria) to sponsor their parents or grandparents for Canadian public relations. The program is part of IRCC’s family reunification initiatives, which are a key pillar of the ministry’s mission. Parents and grandparents who arrive in Canada under the program receive PR upon arrival in Canada.
Among other steps, sponsors must sign an undertaking stating that they will support their parents and grandparents during their stay in Canada for 20 years. Sponsors applying from Quebec will have to sign a 10-year commitment.
The PGP invites candidates by drawing lots and only opens the reception of applications (and issues invitations) once a year.
What if you are not selected?
Similar to the PGP, IRCC also manages the Super-Visa route. This pathway allows Canadian citizens and permanent residents to sponsor their parents and grandparents to come visit Canada on an extended visitor visa (meaning family members receive a visa to visit Canada, as opposed to the PR under the PGP). Applicants approved under the program can stay in Canada for five years at a time, with the option to extend this stay by two years. Applicants can also reapply for their super visa after their status expires.
However, unlike the PGP, IRCC operates the Super Visa program throughout the year, with sponsors able to apply all year round. IRCC aims to process all complete super visa applications within 112 days of receipt. Between 2022-2023, the ministry processed 67% of requests according to this standard.
To learn more about PGP, visit our dedicated webpage here.
To find out more about the Super Visa, visit our dedicated webpage here.
Sponsor your parents and grandparents for Canadian immigration
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